Nature Tales & Trails
Guided hikes & nature walks, geology CPD for hike leaders
Writing, journalism and science communication
Upcoming Hikes & Walks
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![A hill side, Derrybawn, co. Wicklow]()
Winter Mindful Hike, Derrybawn & Glendalough, 1 December
This hike is all about relaxing and unwinding in nature, while enjoying a festive mindful walk along the flank of Derrybawn Mountain and into the Glendalough valley, as we gear up for winter.
Unwind before the hectic Christmas break, and treat yourself for a relaxing experience in the garden of Ireland.
Special offer: 20 euro per person, or 30 euro for two people!
On the day we combine forest bathing, a calm and largely silent practice, designed to help you relax and restore your inner peace, with a slow, mindful hike, where we will notice flora, fauna and geology, and hopefully be treated to fabulous views over Glendalough.
Led by qualified and insured guides Anthea (Nature Tales & Trails) and Kamila (Nature To Go), we hope you will join us for this gentle hike that is suitable for all levels. Beginners welcome!
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![a forest with green trees and a person]()
Winter Mindful Hike, 8 December, Derrybawn & Glendalough
This hike is all about relaxing and unwinding in nature. Join us for a peaceful, restorative experience in the heart of winter as nature moves into its slower rhythm. This guided session will invite you to relax, take your time, and connect with the calm energy of the season through your senses. On this guided walk, you’ll be encouraged to slow down and observe nature from a fresh perspective, embracing the stillness of the winter landscape. Forest bathing, a quiet and mindful practice, is designed to help you unwind and find inner peace. This session is led by Anthea, a geologist and mountain leader, and Kamila from Nature to Go, a botanist, forest bathing guide and lowland leader. Together, they will guide you through a slow, mindful hike, where we will explore the winter flora, fauna, and geology of the area. The hike is of easy difficulty with some gentle incline.
Special offer: €20 for one person and €30 for two people.
Duration: Approximately 4-5 hours (depending on weather and group dynamics)
Join us to relax and experience how nature, in its winter phase, invites us to slow down and reconnect with our surroundings and ourselves.
Previous hike participant review: “We had a wonderful hike today with Kamila and Anthea, on a less trodden path from Laragh to Glendalough. What a great way to spend a Sunday morning. A workout for your heart and soul.”— David D. - August 2023
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![trilobite with christmas hat]()
Christmas Fossil Walk - 21 December, Dublin coast
Try something different this Christmas. Join us for a festive fossil walk on the north Dublin coast, close to Portmarnock. We will go fossil hunting and learn about Ireland's wonderful fossils. Guided by Anthea, an experienced science communicator with a PhD in Irish fossils (about ammonoids, extinct relatives of squid and cuttlefish).
Family friendly, with some uneven surfaces to walk over. duration: 1.5h. There will two start times, one at 9.30 and another at 12.00.
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![people hiking down a mountain slope]()
Strolling through millions of years: geology and landscape for hillwalkers, climbers, & mountaineers 13 November
A day of outdoor learning for anyone who spends time on the hills. As we walk, we will pay attention to the rocks under our feet and the landscape, and embark on a geological journey, millions of years in the making. From geological time to mountain building, fossils, volcanoes, rock types and glaciation, we will learn about how the landscapes we enjoy are shaped over Ireland's turbulent geological history.
We will cover some of the key geological features that you will encounter while out hiking in Ireland. This event should be especially useful for those working towards mountain or lowland leader awards, as well as instructing and leading others on the hills. Come away with lots of information and fun facts to bring to your groups and feel more confident describing rocks and landscapes.
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![View over Glendalough upper lake]()
Nature & landscape hike
Dates on request, Wicklow Mountains/west of Ireland
A day of outdoor learning for anyone who spends time on the hills. As we walk, we will pay attention to nature, including flora, fauna and the rocks under our feet. As we go on a geological journey, millions of years in the making, we will appreciate the landscape. From geological time, to mountain building, fossils, volcanoes, rock types and glaciation, we will learn about how the landscapes we enjoy are shaped over Ireland's turbulent geological history.
This event should be especially useful for those instructing and leading others on the hills or working towards leadership assessments.
Come away with lots of information and fun facts to bring to your groups and feel more confident identifying natural features, and describing rocks and landscapes.
Upcoming event -
Upcoming event -
NEW Workshops
Strolling through millions of years - Geology and landscape for hillwalkers & mountaineers
13 November
A one-day workshop to learn about geology and landscape for hillwalkers and mountaineers.
A day of outdoor learning for anyone who spends time on the hills. As we walk, we will pay attention to the rocks under our feet, and go on a geological journey, millions of years in the making. From geological time, to mountain building, fossils, volcanoes, rock types and glaciation, we will learn about how the landscapes we enjoy are shaped over Ireland's turbulent geological history. We will cover some of the key geological features that you will encounter while out hiking in Ireland. This event should be especially useful for those instructing and leading others on the hills. Come away with lots of information and fun facts to bring to your groups and feel more confident describing rocks and landscapes.
This workshop also serves as CPD through the Mountain Training Association (1 point).
We will cover:
The basics of geology and the geological processes shaping the landscape in Ireland.
The rock cycle, geological timescale, the geological history of Ireland, evolution and fossils, how rocks form layers and the basic principles of superposition of rocks, as well as how glaciation has affected the landscape.
We will identify and learn about common rocks and minerals found in the Irish landscape.
Learn from a geologist with a PhD in Irish fossils and see the landscape with different eyes. Come away armed with lots of knowledge and fun facts to pass on to your clients or prepare for assessment (ML).
We will also discuss and share knowledge on flora and fauna on this course as environment is interconnected with landscape. We always tailor content to suit your interests and pre-existing knowledge.
“Strolling through millions of years - geology and landscape for hillwalkers and mountaineers
Thank you for a perfect stroll and chat session. The event was very well planned. Anthea was well prepared, the session was delivered at a perfect pace for everyone in the group to be involved and to ask questions. Anthea followed up with a lot of material for us to go through in our own time. I’m looking forward to browsing through it all.”
“I joined the Geology peer-to-peer session in the Wicklow Mountains organized by Nature Tales & Trails, which proved to be an enlightening experience, blending adventure and education in a unique way.
Our knowledgeable guide, Anthea, led us on a hike, unraveling the geological formations and mysteries hidden within the landscape. The session was highly interactive, fostering plenty of discussion and theoretical exploration. Anthea broadened my understanding of stunning rock formations, and hiking through the land felt like a journey of discovery into the world of geology.
I highly recommend this experience to anyone with a passion for geology or a thirst for outdoor exploration!”
“This was a really enjoyable day’s learning with Anthea. Her knowledge and enthusiasm are impressive, she brought the group on a journey through the geological history, of the area and made it accessible for non-geologists. Highly recommend this event as a way to put the landscape in context.”
Recent writing project -
Recent writing project -
Worked as a consultant on the earth chapter of this book: DK Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Everything is jam packed full of fun facts and in-depth knowledge about everything space, earth, life, culture, and history.
Targeted at children 9+ it has lots of geology inspiration in its pages, from mountains, to fossils, volcanoes, weather, climate emergency, plus a rocks quiz and a dinosaur quiz!
About Nature Tales & Trails
Nature Tales & Trails was founded by Dr Anthea Lacchia, a geologist, writer and qualified mountain leader and lowland leader, to help connect people to nature and the environment. Anthea has a PhD on Ireland's fossils, and decades of experience hiking in Ireland, the UK and her native Italian Alps. Her background is in research, journalism, writing and science communication. If you are looking for a qualified leader to take you on an environment, geology, or nature-themed walk or hike that is tailored to your interests, please get in touch. Anthea also volunteers as Assistant Regional Coordinator for Ireland for the Mountain Training Association. For communications and writing services, visit the Portfolio section of the website.
Hiking & walks testimonials
“I have hiked with Anthea on lots of occasions. Every single time she planned everything meticulously and organised everything, from trails to accommodation. All I needed to do was show up. Anthea possesses a wealth of knowledge about the natural world, always teaching and disseminating insights on plants, birds and of course, geology. The paces of her hikes are tailored to the needs and ability of the group she is guiding. Always proactive, her ability to replan in no time at all due to changes in weather adds to her already fantastic attributes as a guide. She even had extra waterproof pants for all of us! I cannot recommend Anthea highly enough. Book with her for an experience of a lifetime.”
-Halleluya Ekandjo
“An unforgettable adventure is waiting for you - book a nature walk or a geology walk with Anthea. She is an excellent guide!”
-Maja Es
“We had a wonderful hike today with Kamila and Anthea, on a less trodden path from Laragh to Glendalough. What a great way to spend a Sunday morning. A workout for your heart and soul.”
— David D. August 2023
“[…] OMG what an amazing day. Thank you so much Kamila and Anthea. It was a mindful, forest/nature bathing hike. Just amazing and so beautiful. I loved every minute of it. I highly recommend this experience to everyone to do. Thank you again Kamila and Anthea. You will see me again. Ann x"
— Ann F. October 2023”
“I joined the Geology peer-to-peer session in the Wicklow Mountains organized by Nature Tales & Trails, which proved to be an enlightening experience, blending adventure and education in a unique way.
Our knowledgeable guide, Anthea, led us on a hike, unraveling the geological formations and mysteries hidden within the landscape. The session was highly interactive, fostering plenty of discussion and theoretical exploration. Anthea broadened my understanding of stunning rock formations, and hiking through the land felt like a journey of discovery into the world of geology.
I highly recommend this experience to anyone with a passion for geology or a thirst for outdoor exploration!”
— Marzena Rosiak 2024
Let's go for a hike
Tired of the busy city life? Want to try something different? Walks and hikes are tailored to suit your level of ability and interests. In general, we adopt a relaxed pace and enjoy our surroundings. Adventure calls…
Notice the small things
Connecting to nature can mean different things to different people. At Nature Tales & Trails, we believe in stopping to notice the small things: this could be a quartzite rock hit by sunrise on a summit, a raindrop clinging on to moss in the forest, or a tiny, blue jay feather glistening between fallen leaves. By immersing ourselves in nature and respecting our environment, we can start to feel more hopeful about the world, given the climate and biodiversity emergency we are in.
Learn in nature
Nature walks are an opportunity to discover something new. Something new about nature, and perhaps something new about ourselves as well. Want to learn more about Ireland's wonderful geology, flora and fauna? From heather, to birdsong, to rock types and bryophytes, nature is the best classroom!
Some of our specialist services
Geology walk or talk
Are you curious about what lies beneath your feet? Learn about geology and Ireland's billion-year-old geological history in a talk or walk which can be tailored to suit adults or children.
Fabulous fossils walk or talk
From dinosaurs to ammonites, what are fossils and where can you see them in Ireland? Become a fossil hunter for the day and learn about Ireland's wonderful fossils hidden inside its rocks. This walk or talk can be tailored to suit an audience of adults or children.
This is a virtual consultation lasting 50 minutes.
The call is about science communication/science writing career options and resources. I can also discuss what it is like to get started in and work in science journalism. Bring your questions and receive advice and tailored notes afterwards.
Geology and landscape course for hikers, guides, mountain leaders and providers, and mountain leader trainees
Are you a hiker or a hike leader curious to learn more about how landscapes form? Maybe you would like to add geology and landscape knowledge to your hikes or instruction. Learn the basics of geology in this one-day course delivered outdoors. From geological history, to mountain building events, volcanoes, rock types and glaciation, learn about what shapes the landscapes we enjoy.